District 103
Manny Díaz, Jr. is the incumbent candidate, elected in 2012. He currently serves as the assistant principal of Hialeah Miami Lakes Senior High. His primary issues are reforming charter schools, helping to stop red light cameras, and reducing the effects of rock mining blasting. He received his B.A. from St.Thomas University and his M.A. from Nova Southeastern University.
Endorsements:
Associated Industries of Florida
Florida Chamber of Commerce
Florida Medical Association Political Action Committee
Florida Realtors PAC
National Federation of Independent Business
National Rifle Association
Ivette Gonzalez Petkovich was born and raised in Miami, Florida. She earned her B.A. from the University of Miami and her J.D. from the St. Thomas University School of Law. She has practiced as a prosecutor and defense attorney in both federal and state courts, and now she runs her own law firm. She is focused on three issues: education, criminal justice, and health care reform.
Endorsements:
President Barack Obama
SAVE
Equality Florida
Florida AFL-CIO
Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates
Ruth’s List Florida
SEIU Florida
District 105
Carlos Trujillo is the incumbent candidate, elected to this position in 2012. He is a small business owner. He received his B.S. from Spring Hill College and his J.D. from the Florida State University College of Law. His primary issues are growing jobs, increasing funding for elementary schools, consumer protection legislation to end surprise medical bills, and strengthening punishments for sexual predators. He is a finance chairman for the Trump campaign this election.
Endorsements:
Associated Industries of Florida
Florida Family Action
Florida Medical Association Political Action Committee
Florida Realtors PAC
National Federation of Independent Business
Moreno has no history of holding public office. He was born and raised in the Dominican Republic and received his M.A. from Universidad Católica Santo Domingo before moving to the United States 20 years ago. He works in real estate. His primary concerns are climate change and health care reform.
Endorsements:
SEIU Florida
District 110
Jose Oliva (R)
Oliva is the incumbent candidate, elected in 2011. He was born in New Jersey and was raised in Hialeah, which is in the district he currently represents. His primary issues are lowering taxes, making Florida friendlier for businesses, and having a smaller and more accountable government. He received his B.A. from St. Thomas University.
Endorsements:
Associated Industries of Florida
Florida Chamber of Commerce
Florida Medical Association Political Action Committee
Florida Realtors PAC
National Federation of Independent Business
Puentes is a Cuban-American, army veteran. He hopes to focus on communities, citizens and companies that improve education, employment and environment. No other information found.
Endorsements:
None found.
District 111
Bryan Avila is the incumbent candidate, elected in 2014. He earned a B.A from University of Miami and an M.S and M.P.A from Florida International University. He currently serves as an adjunct professor at Miami-Dade College. He’s a proponent of conservative principles, smaller government, and economic freedom and his primary goals are to lower taxes, increase fiscal responsibility, and preserve conservative family values.
Endorsements:
Associated Industries of Florida
Florida Chamber of Commerce
Florida Medical Association Political Action Committee
Florida Realtors PAC
National Federation of Independent Business
Sevi Miyar previously ran for a seat on the School Board, but was unsuccessful. She is primarily focused on education reform. She is currently pursuing a doctorate from Nova Southeastern University. She holds an Ed.S from Nova Southeastern University, an M.S. from Nova Southeastern University, and two B.A.s from Bosphorus University and Istanbul University in Istanbul, Turkey.
Endorsements:
None found.
District 112
Rosa Maria “Rosy” Palomino (R)
Palomino previously ran a medical retail business, taught for 18 years at Citrus Grove Elementary in Little Havana, and is now president of Tropical Nostalgia, which is “a provider of Miami After Dark wines and gifts.” She has a B.A. from Florida International University and is the president of the Douglas Park Neighborhood Association. Her priorities are easing traffic, fostering job creation, and improving quality of life.
Endorsements:
Florida Right to Life
Duran earned a B.A. in Public Relations from the University of Florida, and a J.D. at the New York Law School. He has worked at a law firm, was a campaign manager for The Children’s Movement of Florida, and Florida’s director for Enroll America, which worked to enroll people in health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act. He then served as executive director of the Florida Association of Free and Charitable Clinics. His priorities are children’s education, sea-level rise and climate change and expanding access to affordable healthcare.
Endorsements:
President Barack Obama
SAVE
Associated Industries of Florida
Florida AFL-CIO
Florida Chamber of Commerce
Florida Medical Association Political Action Committee
SEIU Florida
Florida Education Association
District 113
Parker’s top three priorities are reducing traffic, increasing safety, and improving care for senior citizens. He is a graduate of the Miami Beach Leadership Academy and served on the City’s Safety Committee, Police/Citizens Relations Committee, and Community Relations Board. He is also the president of his condominium association. Parker holds a B.S. degree from Tulane University and a J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law, where he received honors, and served as the Editor-In-Chief of Amicus Curiae.
Endorsements:
Personhood Florida
Richardson, the incumbent, has been District 113 representative since 2014. He moved to Florida when he was 10 years old. He has his B.A. from the University of Central Florida in and his MBA from the University of Tampa. He’s also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licensed in Florida. He’s earned recognition for his work on juvenile justice issues and has pushed to lift a ban on local bans on styrofoam and plastic bags, like the one on Miami Beach. His priorities are identifying budgetary mismanagement so funds can improve schools, preserving the environment, and improving health care.
Endorsements:
SAVE
Equality Florida
Florida AFL-CIO
Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates
Florida Education Association
Florida Medical Association Political Action Committee
Florida Realtors PAC
Gay & Lesbian Political Victory Fund
SEIU Florida
District 114
Couriel ran for Florida Senate in District 35 against outgoing Sen. Gwen Margolis in 2012, but was unsuccessful. He holds a B.A. and J.D. from Harvard University. His key issues are increasing economic prosperity, improving education, criminal justice reform, increasing access to affordable healthcare, and environmental stewardship. He currently serves as an Assistant United States Attorney.
Endorsements:
Associated Industries of Florida
Florida Chamber of Commerce
Florida Medical Association Political Action Committee
Florida Realtors PAC
National Federation of Independent Business
Baez was born and raised in the Dominican Republic. She moved to the US at 17 and served in the U.S.Army. She was assigned to the First Cavalry Division Surgeon’s’ Office in Fort Hood Texas. She has earned her B.S. in Social Work and her M.S. in Counseling Education. She has worked primarily in healthcare and founded and serves as the executive director of the Dominican Health Care Association of Florida. Her priorities are economic development, education reform, increasing safety and reducing crime, and healthcare legislative reform.
Endorsements:
President Barack Obama
SAVE
Equality Florida
Florida AFL-CIO
Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates
Florida Education Association
Florida NOW PAC-CCE
Ruth’s List Florida
VoteVets.org
SEIU Florida
District 115
Michael Bileca is the incumbent candidate, elected in 2010. His primary issue is education. He is the founder of two businesses. Michael received his B.A. from Tulane University and his MBA from Northwestern University. He also has a CPA license.
Endorsements:
Associated Industries of Florida
Florida Chamber of Commerce
Florida Medical Association Political Action Committee
Florida Realtors PAC
National Federation of Independent Business
Jeffrey Doc Solomon (D)
Solomon has run twice before, in 2010 and in 2012. He is a native Miamian, a business owner and a practicing doctor. He received his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Life Chiropractic College and a Diplomate in Sports Injuries from New York Chiropractic College. He previously served the president of the Florida Chiropractic Association, and American Chiropractic Association Sports Council.
Endorsements:
SAVE
District 116
Jose Felix Diaz is the incumbent candidate, elected in 2010. He received his B.A. from the University of Miami and his J.D. from Columbia University. He is an attorney with Akerman LLP, and was serves on the American Bar Association’s legislative body, the House of Delegates. His key issues are creating more jobs, improving transparency in government, supporting education, and reducing taxes for homeowners.
Endorsements:
SAVE
Associated Industries of Florida
Florida Chamber of Commerce
Florida Medical Association Political Action Committee
Florida Realtors PAC
National Federation of Independent Business
No information found.
Endorsements:
None found.
District 118
Rivera was born in New York, but has lived in Miami for the past 40 years. He previously served three terms in the Florida House of Representatives (for District 112) and served as the rules and appropriations chairman, although he faced a state ethics investigation near the end of his time. He was elected to U.S. Congress in 2010 and served one term, facing a federal criminal investigation into a campaign finance scheme in 2012. He was not charged. He has a B.A. in Political Science and an M.A. in Public Administration from Florida International University. He is a doctoral candidate and has been an adjunct professor in FIU’s School of International and Public Affairs.
Endorsements:
Associated Industries of Florida
Florida Chamber of Commerce
Florida Medical Association Political Action Committee
National Rifle Association
Robert Asencio, a longtime Republican, switched parties after the 2010 election, when the party took a more conservative bent in the state. He served in the Miami-Dade County Public Schools Police Department for 26 years, serving as captain before retiring in 2015. He’s also a veteran of the U.S. Army Reserves. His primary issues are improving education, criminal justice reform, and increasing safety and health, among others. He has no record of holding previous public office.
Endorsements:
President Barack Obama
SAVE
Equality Florida
Florida AFL-CIO
Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates
SEIU Florida
District 119
Jeanette M. Nuñez is the incumbent candidate, elected in 2010. She previously served as the deputy whip in 2011 and was a legislative aide to Sen. Diaz de la Portilla from 1995 to 2004. She has a B.A. and M.A. from Florida International University. Her primary issues are lowering taxes, improving education, growing jobs, and enhancing safety.
Endorsements:
Associated Industries of Florida
Florida Chamber of Commerce
Florida Medical Association Political Action Committee
Florida Realtors PAC
National Federation of Independent Business
No information found.
Endorsements:
SEIU Florida
District 120
Holly Raschein is the incumbent candidate, elected in 2012. She received her B.S. from Florida State University. She was born in Anchorage, Alaska, and moved to the state of Florida to attend Florida State University. Her key priorities are building a competitive workforce, environmental stewardship of the Florida Keys, and strengthening the local economy.
Endorsements:
SAVE
Associated Industries of Florida
Equality Florida
Florida Chamber of Commerce
Florida Medical Association Political Action Committee
Florida Realtors PAC
National Federation of Independent Business
National Rifle Association
Dan Horton received his B.A. Kennesaw State University and a J.D. from Florida International University. He completed the Leadership Miami program and earned the Chamber of Commerce’s Outstanding Project of the Year Award. His key issues are climate change, pollution, equal rights, economic and social justice, and getting big corporate money out of politics. He does not have any history of serving public office.
Endorsements:
None found.
Endorsements collected from VoteSmart.org, candidate web pages, and organization web pages.